FREQUENCY OF FECAL COLIFORMS ON BEACHES IN THE POTIGUAR COAST (BRAZIL)
Balneability. Water Quality. Contingency table.
Because the tourism increasing, there is a growing concern about the quality of beach water or balneability. The most common impacts in coastal environments are caused by deficiencies in basic sanitation and by disordered land use, which lead to the release of contaminants in the sea reducing the quality of beach water, affecting people’s health. To maintain users aware of the beach balneability, the CONAMA rules in its Resolution nº 274/2000, art. 2º, indicates the quantitative monitoring of fecal (thermotolerant) coliforms found per 100 ml of water. In this context, the present work aims to analyze the dynamics of fecal coliform concentrations on the beaches of Rio Grande do Norte State. Our preliminary results showed a strong relationship of dependence between the frequency of fecal coliform values above the maximum limit (1000 NMP/100ml) and the water sampling points. It was also detected that the beaches located near rivers and estuaries present a higher frequency of high concentrations of these microorganisms.